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Blockade of Aqaba
To the Editor:
Egypt's announcement that it
intends to blockade the Gulf of
Aqaba to Israeli. shipping is a
further demonstration of the
lawless defiance of international
principle by some Arab states
that explains the emergence of
the present danger in the Middle
East.
In a series of opinions antedating the present crisis, beginning with a note to the United
Nations General Assembly by
Secretary General Dag Ham-
marskjold on Jan. 15, 1957, the
Straits of Tiran and the Gulf
of Aqaba have long been recognized to constitute an international waterway available and
accessible to the shipping of all
nations under the rules of international law.
Similarly, on Feb. 11, 1957,
the United States set forth its
own views ih a memorandum
declaring that our country is
"prepared to exercise the right
of free and innocent passage
and to Join with others to secure general recognition of this
right."
Finally, the international character of the Gulf of Aqaba was
confirmed In the Convention of
the Territorial Sea and the Continuous Zone, adopted by an International Conference at Geneva on April 29. 1958. Article 15
states: "The coastal state must
not hamper innocent passage
through the territorial sea." Article 16 provides: "There shall
be no suspension of the innocent
passage of foreign ships through
straits which are used for international navigation between
one part of the high seas and
another part of the high seas or
the territorial sea of a foreign
port."
Following- the Sinai campaign
Israel withdrew from the positions It occupied at Sharm el
Sheik overlooking the Straits
of Tiran subject to the understanding that the area would be
patrolled and kept under surveillance by the United Nations
free passage into the Gulf. That
bilateral understanding has now
been abrogated by U Thant's
unilateral and peremptory demand that United Nations
troops withdraw.
The threat by Egypt now endangers Israel's only outlet to
the Red Sea and a major lifeline for the obtaining of neces-
sary supplies. These bellicose
acts constitute a kind of provocation and harassment that no
nation can be expected long to
tolerate. Whatever eventuates
In the Middle East, it is clear
that the responsibility rests
squarely and indisputably on
the present Arab"leadership.
President Johnson's welcome
Statement on May 23 is a con-
firmation of the long-standing
policy of our own Government
and of the whole international
community, rt is to be hoped
that these firm commitments,
buttressed by whatever action
by the United States may be
necessary to carry them out,
may yet avert .Arab aggression
in the Middle East
Director Commission on
International Affairs
American Jewish Congress
New York, May 24, 1967 '

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User has an obligation to determine copyright or other use restrictions prior to publication or distribution. Please contact the archives at reference@ajhsboston.org or 617-226-1245 for more information.

Transcript

Blockade of Aqaba
To the Editor:
Egypt's announcement that it
intends to blockade the Gulf of
Aqaba to Israeli. shipping is a
further demonstration of the
lawless defiance of international
principle by some Arab states
that explains the emergence of
the present danger in the Middle
East.
In a series of opinions antedating the present crisis, beginning with a note to the United
Nations General Assembly by
Secretary General Dag Ham-
marskjold on Jan. 15, 1957, the
Straits of Tiran and the Gulf
of Aqaba have long been recognized to constitute an international waterway available and
accessible to the shipping of all
nations under the rules of international law.
Similarly, on Feb. 11, 1957,
the United States set forth its
own views ih a memorandum
declaring that our country is
"prepared to exercise the right
of free and innocent passage
and to Join with others to secure general recognition of this
right."
Finally, the international character of the Gulf of Aqaba was
confirmed In the Convention of
the Territorial Sea and the Continuous Zone, adopted by an International Conference at Geneva on April 29. 1958. Article 15
states: "The coastal state must
not hamper innocent passage
through the territorial sea." Article 16 provides: "There shall
be no suspension of the innocent
passage of foreign ships through
straits which are used for international navigation between
one part of the high seas and
another part of the high seas or
the territorial sea of a foreign
port."
Following- the Sinai campaign
Israel withdrew from the positions It occupied at Sharm el
Sheik overlooking the Straits
of Tiran subject to the understanding that the area would be
patrolled and kept under surveillance by the United Nations
free passage into the Gulf. That
bilateral understanding has now
been abrogated by U Thant's
unilateral and peremptory demand that United Nations
troops withdraw.
The threat by Egypt now endangers Israel's only outlet to
the Red Sea and a major lifeline for the obtaining of neces-
sary supplies. These bellicose
acts constitute a kind of provocation and harassment that no
nation can be expected long to
tolerate. Whatever eventuates
In the Middle East, it is clear
that the responsibility rests
squarely and indisputably on
the present Arab"leadership.
President Johnson's welcome
Statement on May 23 is a con-
firmation of the long-standing
policy of our own Government
and of the whole international
community, rt is to be hoped
that these firm commitments,
buttressed by whatever action
by the United States may be
necessary to carry them out,
may yet avert .Arab aggression
in the Middle East
Director Commission on
International Affairs
American Jewish Congress
New York, May 24, 1967 '